![Thomas Keir diary - 6 January 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/29-18640106-ViewScan_0120-k.png "7-18631126-ViewScan_0098-k")
Wednesday 6th – Damp morning with a cold
breeze from the S.W. The sails braced hard up to
the wind. A good many whales were seen, one large
brute close to the ship’s side. Passed through a
shoal of porpoises during the forenoon the sailers
succeeded in catching two of them, and they were
hauled along the deck, so that all would have a
chance of seeing them. The deck was dyed with
the blood, so much so that it had to be wash
ed over again. They were soon cut up and
the flesh divided. It is not unlike beef, but
of a deeper red, there is about ¾ of an inch
inside the skin of the white oily blubber. I
got a nice bit of the head, with which I oiled
my boots and shoes. The flesh when cooked is
pretty good. Our latitude at noon was 38°58’ In
the afternoon the wind died away, and we
were going very slowly. Saw the sun setting, and
a few of the stars are seen, a welcome sight for
the sky has been obscured for a few days back.
STANDARDISED
Wednesday 6th
Damp morning with a cold breeze from the southwest. The sails braced hard up to the wind. A good many whales were seen, one large brute close to the ship’s side. Passed through a shoal of porpoises during the forenoon, the sailers succeeded in catching two of them, and they were hauled along the deck, so that all would have a chance of seeing them. The deck was dyed with the blood, so much so that it had to be washed over again. They were soon cut up and the flesh divided. It is not unlike beef, but of a deeper red, there is about ¾ of an inch inside the skin of the white oily blubber. I got a nice bit of the head, with which I oiled my boots and shoes. The flesh when cooked is pretty good. Our latitude at noon was 38°58’. In the afternoon the wind died away, and we were going very slowly. Saw the sun setting, and a few of the stars are seen, a welcome sight for the sky has been obscured for a few days back.
HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY
6th fine
Saw whales & stormy petrels Cape pidgeons & Florihawks and Albatroses & porpoises. 2 was harpooned and brought on deck and cut up, 5 ½ feet long 1 ½ feet high. About 37 miles from the islands of Tristan da Cunha, about 2 knots per hour. Looking my box over, took oatmeal out. For dinner boulli & pudding. Reading the Argus paper, playing singing & dancing etc
Further reading
A fascinating article on the history of eating porpoise, considered a high-status food in the Middle Ages.
Buttery, Dr Neil. “Forgotten Foods #10: Porpoise“, British Food: A History, pub. 25 Jun 2023.
![Porpoise, an illustration from An illustrated vocabulary for the use of the deaf and dumb, published in 1857, digitised version [Internet Archive]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/porpoise-1857-illustratedvocabulary-IA.jpg)
Porpoise, an illustration from An illustrated vocabulary for the use of the deaf and dumb, published in 1857, digitised version [Internet Archive]
